Dear Poll: Do You Mix Business With Pleasure?

I've asked you before how you feel about dating people you work with, but what about befriending the people you work with? Since we inevitably spend more time with our co-workers than our friends and family, it's easy to develop strong bonds. But no matter how much you may try to deny it, we live in a dog-eat-dog world. It seems like everyone is out to better their career, make more money, and climb the corporate ladder, which makes me question if co-workers make trustworthy friends. Obviously every company dynamic is different as is every friendship so tell me ladies, do you combine your personal life with your professional one?

Then again, sometimes it can work out perfectly. I'm still happily dating the guy that hired me at a job 4 (almost 5) years ago.
I usually lose touch with my work friends after I stop working there. I've always seen that as the beauty of having work friends, as long as it's mutual!

Then again, sometimes it can work out perfectly. I'm still happily dating the guy that hired me at a job 4 (almost 5) years ago. I usually lose touch with my work friends after I stop working there. I've always seen that as the beauty of having work friends, as long as it's mutual!

It can really depend on your work situation. If your not on your career path and your working a part time job, you're probably more likely to become friends with your coworkers.Anyway, I also tend to be very particular when it comes to befriending colleagues. I don't see anything wrong with a drink after work, but I haven't ever befriended anyone to the point that they became a part of my core group of friends. They were my "work" friends. You have to be careful mixing business with your personal life. You never know, that person could be your boss one day, or you could be theirs.

It can really depend on your work situation. If your not on your career path and your working a part time job, you're probably more likely to become friends with your coworkers.
Anyway, I also tend to be very particular when it comes to befriending colleagues. I don't see anything wrong with a drink after work, but I haven't ever befriended anyone to the point that they became a part of my core group of friends. They were my "work" friends. You have to be careful mixing business with your personal life. You never know, that person could be your boss one day, or you could be theirs.

While I am friendly at work, I shy away from developing a more social relationship because I'm in management and you never know when you may end up managing someone. It can get awkward. However, I have numerous friends from past companies. Once I leave or they leave, it's a different story altogether. In fact, I am still very good friends with my very first boss. And if I was to leave my company tomorrow, there's a handful of people (including one who works for me now) that I'd reach out to right away in the hopes we could switch to a more social relationship.

While I am friendly at work, I shy away from developing a more social relationship because I'm in management and you never know when you may end up managing someone. It can get awkward. However, I have numerous friends from past companies. Once I leave or they leave, it's a different story altogether. In fact, I am still very good friends with my very first boss. And if I was to leave my company tomorrow, there's a handful of people (including one who works for me now) that I'd reach out to right away in the hopes we could switch to a more social relationship.

I have friends at work. But they are only work friends. I don't think i could hang out with them on the weekend or let them know my personal life.Plus, I am the youngst in the office by 4 years (average age probably 30-35) soooo it would be weird hanging out with people 15-20 years older then me!

I have friends at work. But they are only work friends. I don't think i could hang out with them on the weekend or let them know my personal life.
Plus, I am the youngst in the office by 4 years (average age probably 30-35) soooo it would be weird hanging out with people 15-20 years older then me!

I have a few work friends that I might hang out with once in a while, mostly all guys though, as the girls at my work are competitive and I'm higher up than they are so I don't think they like me much anymore :( I am starting to 'see' a guy at my work, but at least he works in a different department and at work we barely talk or anything so no one suspects anything. Gossip travels far at my work.

I used to be friends with a lot of people I worked with, but as I moved up the ladder, and starting controlling what they worked on, they were none too happy, and have since totally excluded me from their parites, trips, etc.
It's even harder to go from being good friends, to being purposefully left out.
I have a couple friends who are older & are sort of mentors, but no one close that is near my age.
Sometimes is sucks a lot.

I used to be friends with a lot of people I worked with, but as I moved up the ladder, and starting controlling what they worked on, they were none too happy, and have since totally excluded me from their parites, trips, etc.It's even harder to go from being good friends, to being purposefully left out.I have a couple friends who are older & are sort of mentors, but no one close that is near my age.Sometimes is sucks a lot.

Unfortunately, all of the other people in my department are probably at least ten years older than I, and they're all married with kids. When I worked with younger people with similar lifestyles, I had plenty of work friends. We went to happy hours all the time. It was great. I still go out with them on occasion.

I picked other because I'm a college student, and I work part-time at the school doing writing tutoring with other students, and a lot of them I was already friendly with and it doesn't really count. On the other hand, I'm an intern, and because of that situation (being graded and going after good references), I put myself on a pretty strict code of conduct. I'm friendly with people and go to lunch with them, but I would never hang out outside of work or date anyone or anything like that. Also the age gap is pretty significant because everyone I work with for the most part has some sort of graduate degree.

Firstly, I have been interviewing for MONTHS and just got a great job offer that I'm going to accept, so I'm really happy right now.
Most of my jobs have been as a high-end EA. The very nature of that position includes highly confidential company information crossing my desk. The result of that is that I've gotten so I don't socialize with work people outside of the office because even the best of them are always trying to find out stuff. I have no interest in having to watch everything I say even after a glass or two of wine, so I just don't do it. I get along really well with everyone at work and leave it at that. No lunches, no drinks; just company functions, but no more.

Firstly, I have been interviewing for MONTHS and just got a great job offer that I'm going to accept, so I'm really happy right now.Most of my jobs have been as a high-end EA. The very nature of that position includes highly confidential company information crossing my desk. The result of that is that I've gotten so I don't socialize with work people outside of the office because even the best of them are always trying to find out stuff. I have no interest in having to watch everything I say even after a glass or two of wine, so I just don't do it. I get along really well with everyone at work and leave it at that. No lunches, no drinks; just company functions, but no more.

i think i have 1 or 2 friends that i remained friends (in touch) with them after one of us left a company.matter of fact, i need to call Norma. maybe we'll go Salsa dancing this weekend. i just got some new dancing shoes (i only paid $150 for them , so i'm extra excited to break them in).

i think i have 1 or 2 friends that i remained friends (in touch) with them after one of us left a company.
matter of fact, i need to call Norma. maybe we'll go Salsa dancing this weekend. i just got some new dancing shoes (i only paid $150 for them , so i'm extra excited to break them in).

I adore my coworkers. ALL of them. There isn't a single person in my lab that I don't consider to be a friend, and a lot of them are a good 10+ years older than me. It actually really upsets me that I can't invite them all to my wedding, but with spouses, it's almost 30 people.
A lot of labs are very cutthroat with people trying to steal research and ideas, but we all share and help each other out. I've always found it beneficial to have befriended everyone because people always know I'll help them out so if experiments get out of control, they'll ask me to do a few, an then I get to be a co-author on their paper. So in my case, being nice and friendly furthers my own career -- none of this backstabbing nonsense.

I adore my coworkers. ALL of them. There isn't a single person in my lab that I don't consider to be a friend, and a lot of them are a good 10+ years older than me. It actually really upsets me that I can't invite them all to my wedding, but with spouses, it's almost 30 people.A lot of labs are very cutthroat with people trying to steal research and ideas, but we all share and help each other out. I've always found it beneficial to have befriended everyone because people always know I'll help them out so if experiments get out of control, they'll ask me to do a few, an then I get to be a co-author on their paper. So in my case, being nice and friendly furthers my own career -- none of this backstabbing nonsense.

Oh yes, I have several close friends that I work with. I can't imagine NOT getting close to at least some of the people you spend so much time with.
But then again, I'm a teacher and there really isn't that kind of competition that you might see in the corporate world. We're all equals as far as job status goes, so I suppose that makes it easier to trust and establish real friendships in my line of work.